End-to-end notification of local protection using OAM protocol

A method of monitoring the availability of a path in a network, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating and sending operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) packets end-to-end on a path in said network;
• receiving OAM packets on an intermediate node;
• and
• identifying received OAM packets directed to a protection path and setting a link protection flag in said identified OAM packets in response thereto, said link protection flag adapted to notify an end node of said path that local protection has been activated in said network.

A method of end-to-end notification of local protection in a network for use in a first edge node in communication with a second edge node along a path in said network, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) packets comprising a link protection bit set by an intermediate node in the event said OAM packet is directed through a local protection tunnel due to a failure in said network;
• identifying received OAM packets having said link protection bit set indicating that said path has been routed through a local protection tunnel;
• and
• redirecting traffic destined to said second edge node over a backup path in response to said link protection bit being set.

A network processor for use in an intermediate network node located along a path in a network, comprising:

• means for receiving end-to-end protocol packets sent from an edge node;
• means for identifying received end-to-end protocol packets destined to a local protection tunnel due to a failure in said network;
• and
• means for setting a link protection flag in end-to-end protocol packets to be sent over said local protection tunnel, said link protection flag adapted to notify an end node of said path that local protection has been activated in said network.

A network device for use in an intermediate network node located along a path in a network, comprising:

• one or more line PHY line interfaces for interfacing said network device to one or more communication links;
• a switch adapted to switch data between a plurality of ingress inputs and a plurality of egress outputs;
• processing means operative to:
• receive operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) packets sent from an edge node;
• identify received OAM packets destined to a local protection tunnel due to a failure in said network;
• and
• set a link protection indication in OAM packets to be sent over said local protection tunnel, said link protection indication adapted to notify an end node of said path that local protection has been activated in said network.

A network device for use in a first edge node in communication with a second edge node along a path in said network, comprising:

• one or more PHY line interfaces for interfacing said network device to one or more communication links;
• a switch adapted to switch data between a plurality of ingress inputs and a plurality of egress outputs;
• processing means operative to:
• receive operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) packets comprising a link protection indication set by an intermediate node in the event said OAM packet is directed through a local protection tunnel due to a failure in said network;
• identify received OAM packets having said link protection indication set indicating that said path has been routed through a local protection tunnel;
• and
• redirect traffic destined to said second edge node over a backup path in response to said link protection indication being set.

A computer program product for use in a network device, said computer program product comprising:

• a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for performing a path reroute in a network, said computer program product comprising:
• computer readable program code means for receiving operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) packets sent from an edge node;
• computer readable program code means for identifying received OAM packets destined to a local protection tunnel due to a failure in said network;
• and
• computer readable program code means for setting a link protection flag in OAM packets to be sent over said local protection tunnel, said link protection flag adapted to notify an end node of said path that local protection has been activated in said network.